Skill: Battle Saddles
The Battle Saddles skill determines the player’s accuracy with every kind of battle saddle. Starting Score * 2 + ( / 2, rounded down ) Battle Saddle vs. other skills Advantages Battle Saddles can be designed to house two medium or large weapons which would normally fall under the Explosives, Firearms or Magical Energy Weapons categories. Battle Saddles cannot incorporate weapons from the Unarmed or Melee categories. Nor can they utilize Mines, Thrown Weapons or any small-sized weapon, such as a Revolver or Plasma Pistol. (Exception: the battle saddles integrated into Enclave Magically-Powered Armor were occasionally designed to use four identical, small-sized magical energy weapons. In such cases, these weapons were always linked.) With the proper modification, weapons built into a battle saddle may be linked to fire simultaneously so long as both linked weapons are identical. If two weapons of dissimilar design (such as a minigun and a rocket launcher) are mounted in the same battle saddle, the wearer suffers a -10 penalty to Battle Saddles rolls. A Battle Saddle reduces the minimum Strength requirement to wield a weapon by 2. Disadvantages Characters specializing in Battle Saddles lack versatility in combat. While individual Battle Saddles possibly carry weapons from three other skill sets, a character specializing in Battle Saddles is limited to the weapons in the battle saddle she is wearing. A character carrying a battle saddle with two assault rifles will not be able to pick up a fallen enemy’s Zebra Rifle and use it (unless he/she also has the Firearms skill), nor will a character who has a missile launcher battle saddle be able to use a Grenade or disarm a Mine (unless she also has the Explosives skill). Battle saddles are extremely bulky, encumbering any character attempting to pack additional saddles. Furthermore, battle saddles require at least two full minutes to properly don or remove, making switching saddles in combat unfeasible. In addition, any character who wishes to get the most out of their battle saddles will also need to invest in the Skill: Mechanics skill. with Skills & Spells Mechanics Building or modifying a battle saddle requires appropriate ranks in the Skills: Mechanics skill and access to tools: * Mechanics 25 - can swap out weapons of very similar design (such as an assault rifle for a Zebra Rifle) in a battle saddle, or add a battle saddle mod (such as an ammo changer or a weapons link). Requires tools (and the appropriate battle saddles mod kits). Time required: one hour, halved with a successful Mechanics skill roll. * Mechanics 50 - can build weapons into a new battle saddle, or rebuild an existing one with different weapons. Requires tools and a workbench. Time required: 6 hours, halved with a successful Mechanics roll. * Mechanics 75 - can modify a battle saddle integrated into magically-powered armor (such as adding a battle saddle mod or redesigning the trigger to not rely on helmet input). Requires tools and a workbench. Time required: 12 hours, halved with a successful Mechanics roll. * Mechanics 100 - can modify a battle saddle beyond normal limitations. Four light projectile or magical energy weapons can be built into the battle saddle, either two pairs of identical weapon or four identical weapons. If all four weapons are identical, they may all be linked. Time required: 8 hours, halved with a successful Mechanics roll. Such battle saddles are always custom built and should not be available through other means. Telekinesis It is nearly impossible to effectively wield a battle saddle with Telekinesis. A unicorn may make the attempt, but the skill roll takes a -20 penalty. In addition, the initial kick of the battle saddle will cause it to break free of the unicorn’s telekinetic hold (unless the battle saddle is firing either a medium, unlinked Firearm or utilizes magical energy weapons, which are recoil-less). If the battle saddle has a rate of fire greater than one, all additional shots will go wild. The unicorn will need to succeed on a Luck roll to avoid being shot herself. Battle saddle Modifications (Pricing under revision. For accurate prices, please contact your GM.) * Weapons Link (cost: ½ cost of the weapon modded) - Links two identical weapons together in a battle saddle. Both weapons will fire simultaneously, requiring only one Battle Saddles skill roll for attack and costing the AP of only one weapon. Once linked, two weapons cannot be unlinked. When making alterations to a battle saddle, linked weapons must be modified or removed together. A jam or glitch to either linked weapon prevents both from functioning. * Ammo Changer (cost: 5 per feed) - Adds a mechanical device (activated by a quick-kick lever) which allows the saddle wearer to swiftly (AP 5) swap ammo feeds (clips, drums, belts, etc) for one of the battle saddle’s weapons. Models of ammo changers can be installed to handle anywhere from two to five feeds. Without an ammo changer, it is impossible for the wearer to change ammo feeds without removing the battle saddle (or using Telekinesis). * Ammo Loader (cost: ½ cost of the weapon modded) - Adds a special ammo feed device that automatically reloads single-shot weapons which normally carry only one or two rounds (such as a rocket launcher). Without an ammo loader, it is impossible for the wearer to reload such weapons without removing the battle saddle (or using Telekinesis). * Jambuster (cost: 20) - Adds a mechanical device which allows the saddle wearer to swiftly (AP 15) clear a jam or fix a glitched magical energy weapon mounted within the battle saddle. Without a Jambuster, the battle saddle’s mechanics will clear the jam or glitch on its own, but it takes a full turn. (During that turn, the pony may use use AP on other actions.) * Minedropper (cost: 150) - Replaces the weapon mount on one side of the saddle with a device for the swift arming and release of dropped munitions. Despite the name, versions of the Minedropper exist for dropping early any other type of explosive. However, the Minedropper can only be designed for one general type (mines, grenades, etc). A Minedropper can carry up to ten explosives. Triggering the Minedropper arms and releases the explosive. This costs 15 AP and may be done repeatedly during the course of a movement action. Minedroppers are considered to be of dissimilar design to any other mounted kind of weapon, so the wearer suffers a -10 penalty to Battle Saddles rolls. Relations Related Traits * Good Natured (negative effect, permanent) Related Perks * Gun Nut / Saddle Crafter (permanently) * Lead Rain (less AP cost) * Calamity's Might (more crit chance) * Blazing Saddle (less penalty with unbalanced saddles) * Cyberpony (Soldier Suite) (permanently) See also * Mechanics * Firearms * Magical Energy WEapons * Explosives Category:Skills